Port City Hotel

Old Town Alexandria, Virginia

Feasibility and Proof of Concept Study

The site at 1623 Duke Street presented difficulties due to the height of the water table and proximity of existing buildings.

Parking issues related to the water table are resolved by raising the hotel’s first floor above street level by three feet. In addition, raising the first floor creates a sense of grandeur for the hotel bar and amenities, which are visually connected to the street yet physically removed. Density issues were resolved by organizing the hotel rooms around a courtyard which maximizes building frontage and provides daylight and privacy for each hotel rooms. Taking advantage of the setback from the adjacent office building, the courtyard is oriented to allow mid and late afternoon daylight into the courtyard plaza. This also provides views through the courtyard to the city beyond.